Poor Righteous Teachers

Poor Righteous Teachers
Background information
Origin	Trenton, New Jersey
Genres	Hip hop, conscious hip hop
Years active	1989–1996, 2001
Labels	Profile, Arista, BMG Records
Members	Wise Intelligent Culture Freedom
Past members	Mike Peart Father Shaheed (deceased)

Poor Righteous Teachers is a hip hop group from Trenton, New Jersey, founded in 1989.^[1] Often referred to as PRT by its fans, Poor Righteous Teachers is known as a pro-Black conscious hip hop group, with musical content inspired by the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths. Wise Intelligent, as the lead MC, is the most visible and well known member of the group. Culture Freedom provides backing vocals and production, and Father Shaheed serves as a DJ and producer. About.com ranked the group's lead MC, Wise Intelligent, #5 on its list of the 10 Most Underrated Rappers, calling him "one of the most creative MCs of our time."^[2]

Career

PRT debuted in 1989 with the release of the single "Time to Say Peace" b/w "Butt Naked Booty Bless." The trio released its first album, Holy Intellect, in 1990,^[3] amid a number of similarly pro-Black albums such as Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet, X-Clan's To the East, Blackwards, and Brand Nubian's One for All. While not as commercially successful as these albums, Holy Intellect received critical acclaim and spawned the group's only major radio hit, "Rock Dis Funky Joint." PRT returned in 1991 with its second album, Pure Poverty.^[3] The album was not as commercially successful as its debut, and was not as acclaimed. The lead single "Shakiyla (JRH)", became a minor rap hit that year. The group's third, and possibly most successful release to date, Black Business, was released in 1993.^[3] Sales were once again limited, but the album was a critical success. The album's lead single, "Nobody Move", received little radio airplay. After a three-year hiatus, PRT returned as a group in 1996 with its fourth album, The New World Order.^[3] Released in a new Hip Hop era, the album received little attention, failing to reach the Billboard 200 album chart. The album's lead single, "Word Iz Life", was barely able to reach the Hot Rap Singles chart, peaking at the chart's lowest position, #50. Despite the lack of significant attention, the album, like its past releases, received significant acclaim.

In 2001, Poor Righteous Teachers dropped the rare underground release Declaration of Independence.^[3] In 2006, Cha-Ching Records released Rare & Unreleased, a compilation of rare Poor Righteous Teachers songs and remixes.^[4][5]

PRT had a short feud with rapper YZ over reels of tapes that YZ would not give back to its owner, PRT.^[6]

Father Shaheed died on May 26, 2014, from a motorcycle accident.^[7]

Discography

Albums

Singles

• "Time to Say Peace" (1989)
• "Holy Intellect" b/w "Self-Styled Wisdom" (1990)
• "Rock Dis Funky Joint" (1990)
• "Shakiyla (JRH)" b/w "Strictly Mash'ion" (1991)
• "Easy Star" (1992)
• "Nobody Move" b/w "Da Rill Shit" (1993)
• "Conscious Style" (1996)
• "Word Iz Life" b/w "Dreadful Day" (1996)
• "I Swear Ta God" (2000)

References

External links

• Poor Righteous Teachers discography at Discogs